Meet the Goliad Tiger Color Guard

The nine girls who make up the Goliad Tiger Color Guard gathered around a handheld camera replaying a recent performance.

They'd seen it plenty of times before, and they knew the slip-ups to point out to tease their fellow flag corps members.

"OK, girls," the team mocked the overused phrase from their captain, senior Tasha Phillips.

Tasha laughed along with her team.

"Sometimes I can get carried away being the leader," she conceded. "But I have to step back and think about them."

It doesn't take a long visit to see that the girls in the Tiger Color Guard simply have a good time together, whether it's on the field twirling or teasing in the back of the band hall.

They said they think their guard is probably a little more easygoing than most. After all, they don't have a guard coach, and the team of young ladies made up most of this year's marching show themselves.

But their fun loving and autonomy doesn't mean the guard takes its craft lightly.

Band director Jason Howard said the girls took the award for best color guard in its class at this year's Lakeshore competition.

"They're just so good that it adds almost another dimension to the show. It takes it from just music to 3-D," he said. "When they're on, it's something."

Beyond the talent and awards, the fun the Tiger guard reveals on the field could be what's attracting future guard members.

This year, they have 77 kids signed up to take a color guard camp, they said.

"It seems like we've expanded into the community. They don't come to see football," Tasha joked. "They come to see the band."